US10101179B2 - Electromagnetic position tracking system - Google Patents

Electromagnetic position tracking system Download PDF

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US10101179B2
US10101179B2 US15/215,440 US201615215440A US10101179B2 US 10101179 B2 US10101179 B2 US 10101179B2 US 201615215440 A US201615215440 A US 201615215440A US 10101179 B2 US10101179 B2 US 10101179B2
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coil
receiver coil
receiver
frequency
emitter
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US20170023381A1 (en
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François Bertrand
Vincent JOSSELIN
Loïc HUGUEL
Sandra ROUSSEAU
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Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
MinmaxMedical SAS
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D5/00—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D5/12—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means
    • G01D5/14—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
    • G01D5/20—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
    • G01D5/2006—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature by influencing the self-induction of one or more coils
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
    • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
    • A61B90/39—Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D5/00—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D5/12—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means
    • G01D5/14—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
    • G01D5/20—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
    • G01D5/204—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable using electric or magnetic means influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
    • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
    • A61B2034/2046—Tracking techniques
    • A61B2034/2051—Electromagnetic tracking systems
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
    • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
    • A61B2034/2072—Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
    • A61B90/39—Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
    • A61B2090/397—Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
    • A61B90/39—Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
    • A61B2090/3983—Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery

Definitions

  • the present application relates to electromagnetic position tracking systems or electromagnetic locating systems. It more specifically aims at electromagnetic position tracking systems adapted to the medical field, for example, to locate one or a plurality of tools used by a surgeon during a medical operation.
  • Position tracking systems of the type comprising the following elements are here more particularly considered:
  • an electromagnetic field emission device comprising one of a plurality of emitter coils
  • a device for receiving this field comprising one or a plurality of receiver coils.
  • the conjoint analysis of the fields emitted by the emitter coils and of the fields received by the receiver coils enables to determine the position and/or the orientation of the receiver device with respect to the emission device.
  • an embodiment provides an electromagnetic position tracking system comprising: an electromagnetic field emission device comprising at least one emitter coil and, connected to the emitter coil, a first generator of an electric signal for exciting the emitter coil; a device for receiving the electromagnetic field emitted by the emission device, comprising at least one receiver coil, and, connected to the receiver coil, a circuit for reading an electric signal induced in the receiver coil; and a system for measuring at least one parameter of the reception device, comprising, connected to the receiver coil, a second generator of an electric signal for exciting the receiver coil.
  • the parameter is a parameter from the group comprising the series resistance and the self-inductance of the receiver coil.
  • the reception device comprises at least two receiver coils
  • the parameter is a parameter from the group comprising the series resistance of each receiver coil, the self-inductance of each receiver coil, and the coefficient of mutual inductance between two receiver coils.
  • the parameter comprises the series resistance of each receiver coil
  • the measurement system is capable, to measure the series resistance, of applying to one end of the receiver coil a DC voltage or a sinusoidal voltage having a frequency at least 20 times lower than the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • the parameter comprises the self-inductance of each receiver coil
  • the measurement system is capable, to measure the self-inductance, of applying on one end of the receiver coil a sinusoidal voltage having a frequency greater than the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • the parameter comprises the coefficient of mutual inductance between the two receiver coils
  • the measurement system is capable, to measure the coefficient, of applying on one end of one of the two receiver coils a sinusoidal voltage having a frequency greater than the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • the read circuit comprises, associated with each receiver coil, a sense amplification stage comprising an operational amplifier having its inverting input coupled to the output via a feedback resistor and having its non-inverting input coupled to a node of application of a reference potential, a first end of the receiver coil being connected to the inverting input of the operational amplifier.
  • the second generator comprises, associated with each receiver coil, a controllable voltage source connected between the second end of the receiver coil and the node of application of a reference potential.
  • the second generator comprises a digital frequency synthesizer.
  • the emitter coil comprises three emitter coils oriented along different axes
  • the receiver coil comprises three receiver coils oriented along different axes.
  • FIG. 1 schematically shows in the form of blocks an example of an electromagnetic position tracking system
  • FIG. 2 shows in further detail a portion of the reception device of the electromagnetic position tracking system of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 schematically shows in the form of blocks an embodiment of an electromagnetic position tracking system
  • FIG. 4 shows in further detail a portion of the electromagnetic position tracking system of FIG. 3 .
  • term “connected” will be used to designate a direct electric connection, with no intermediate electronic component, for example, by means of one or a plurality of conductive tracks or conductive wires
  • term “coupled” or term “linked” is used to designate either a direct electric connection (then meaning “connected”) or a connection via one or a plurality of intermediate components (resistor, capacitor, etc.).
  • FIG. 1 schematically shows in the form of blocks an example of an electromagnetic position tracking system.
  • the system of FIG. 1 comprises an electromagnetic field emission device 101 comprising an assembly 103 of one or a plurality of emitter coils.
  • Emission device 101 further comprises a device 105 for generating AC electric signals (voltage or currents) for exciting the coils of assembly 103 , for example, sinusoidal signals.
  • Generator 105 is connected to at least one terminal of each of coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 .
  • the system of FIG. 1 further comprises a device 111 for receiving the electromagnetic field emitted by emission device 101 .
  • Reception device 111 comprises an assembly 113 of one or a plurality of receiver coils. The case of a system where assembly 113 comprises three receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 oriented along three different axes, for example, along the three axes of an orthogonal reference frame, is here considered as an example.
  • Reception device 111 further comprises a device 115 for reading the electric signals (voltages or currents) induced in the coils of assembly 113 under the effect of the AC fields emitted by the emitter coils.
  • the system of FIG. 1 further comprises a processing device 121 , for example comprising a microprocessor, coupled on the one hand to generator 105 of emission device 101 and on the other hand to read device 115 of reception device 111 .
  • the connections between generator 105 and processing device 121 and between read device 115 and processing device 121 may be wire connections or wireless connections.
  • Generator 105 is capable of transmitting to processing device 121 signals representative of the excitation signals that it applies to the terminals of emitter coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 .
  • Read device 115 is capable of transmitting to processing device 121 signals representative of the signals read across receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 .
  • the signals transmitted by devices 105 and 115 to processing device 121 are for example digital signals.
  • generator 105 comprises a circuit (not shown) for sampling and digitizing the analog excitation signals applied across emitter coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3
  • read device 115 comprises a circuit (not shown) for sampling and digitizing the analog signals read across receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 .
  • the locating system of FIG. 1 operates as follows.
  • Assembly 103 of emitter coils of emission device 101 defines a reference frame for the location of assembly 113 of receiver coils of reception device 111 .
  • Assembly 113 of receiver coils may be secured to an object to be located.
  • assembly 103 of emitter coils may be secured to a patient's body or on a structure external to the patient's body used as a reference frame.
  • the assembly 113 of receiver coils may be secured to a surgical tool which is desired to be located during the operation.
  • emitter coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 of emission device 101 each emit an AC electromagnetic field.
  • generator 105 is configured to simultaneously apply excitation signals of different frequencies to the different coils of assembly 103 , in which case the coils of assembly 103 simultaneously emit AC electromagnetic fields having different frequencies. This enables, at the level of the reception device, to be able to spectrally discriminate the fields originating from the different emitter coils.
  • the generator is configured to sequentially apply to the different coils of assembly 103 excitation signals of same frequency, so that at a given time, only one of the coils of assembly 103 emits an electromagnetic field.
  • the emission frequency or frequencies of device 101 are for example in the range from 1 to 50 kHz.
  • Signals (for example digital) representative of the excitation signals applied by generator 105 to coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 are transmitted to processing unit 121 .
  • the electric signals are induced in receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 under the effect of the electromagnetic fields emitted by emitter coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 . These signals are measured by read device 115 and transmitted (for example, in digital form) to processing unit 121 .
  • Processing device 121 comprises a synchronous demodulation and filtering unit (not shown in the drawing) capable, based on signals transmitted by generator 105 and read device 115 , of determining, for each of the receiver coils of assembly 113 , the intensity of the field captured by the coil from each of the emitter coils of assembly 103 . Based on the intensity of the fields captured by the receiver coils, processing device 121 determines the position and/or the orientation of the assembly of receiver coils 113 with respect to the assembly of emitter coils 103 . More particularly, in the example of FIG.
  • the synchronous demodulation and filtering unit determines nine field values respectively corresponding to the field received by coil BR 1 from coil BE 1 , to the field received by coil BR 1 from coil BE 2 , to the field received by coil BR 1 from coil BE 3 , to the field received by coil BR 2 from coil BE 1 , to the field received by coil BR 2 from coil BE 2 , to the field received by coil BR 2 from coil BE 3 , to the field received by coil BR 3 from coil BE 1 , to the field received by coil BR 3 from coil BE 2 , and to the field received by coil BR 3 from coil BE 3 .
  • processing unit 121 calculates the spatial position coordinates of all the receiver coils 113 along three axes of the reference frame defined by the emitter coils, and three angular values defining the orientation of all the receiver coils 113 with respect to the axes of the reference frame defined by the emitter coils (it is spoken of a locating system with six degrees of freedom).
  • the accuracy of a locating system of the type described in relation with FIG. 1 particularly depends on the accuracy of the measurement of the fields captured by the coils of the reception device.
  • the transfer function of conversion of the field values of the electric signals (voltages or currents) measured across the coils of reception device 111 should be accurately known.
  • read device 115 of reception device 111 comprises a transimpedance-type amplification device is here more particularly considered.
  • An example of such an amplification device is illustrated in FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 2 shows in further detail a portion of reception device 111 of an electromagnetic system position tracking system of the type described in relation with FIG. 1 .
  • read device 115 comprises, associated with each of receiver coils BR i , with i being an integer from 1 to 3, an amplification device 201 i of transimpedance type, that is, comprising an operational amplifier 203 i having its inverting input ( ⁇ ) coupled to its output by a feedback resistor Rc i and having its non-inverting input (+) coupled to a node of application of a reference potential GND, for example, the ground.
  • amplification device 201 i of transimpedance type that is, comprising an operational amplifier 203 i having its inverting input ( ⁇ ) coupled to its output by a feedback resistor Rc i and having its non-inverting input (+) coupled to a node of application of a reference potential GND, for example, the ground.
  • GND reference potential
  • Coil BR i has its two ends connected, for example, via a coaxial cable 205 i , respectively to the inverting input ( ⁇ ) and to the non-inverting input (+) of operational amplifier 203 i .
  • coil BR i is shorted due to the virtual ground present on the inverting input ( ⁇ ) of operational amplifier 203 i .
  • Coil BR i conducts a current i BRi proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field received by the coil.
  • operational amplifier 203 i delivers on its output node a voltage Vout i (referenced with respect to node GND) which is an amplified image of current i BRi .
  • Read device 115 may further comprise, associated with each of receiver coils BR i , a sampling and digitization circuit (not shown) capable of sampling and digitizing voltage Vout i , the digital output of this circuit being coupled to processing device 121 .
  • a sampling and digitization circuit (not shown) capable of sampling and digitizing voltage Vout i , the digital output of this circuit being coupled to processing device 121 .
  • the transfer function or magnetic field/voltage conversion gain of such an assembly may be expressed as follows:
  • B designates the intensity of the magnetic field received by coil BR i
  • j designates the imaginary unit
  • M BRi designates the magnetic moment per current unit of coil BR i , in A ⁇ m 2 /A
  • L BRi designates the inductance of coil BR i
  • Rs BRi designates the series resistance of the circuit connected between the inverting input ( ⁇ ) and the non-inverting input (+) of operational amplifier 203 i , particularly comprising, in this example, the resistance of coil BR i and the resistance of cable 205 i
  • K BRI (j ⁇ ) designates the field/voltage proportionality coefficient at pulse ⁇ .
  • the frequency response of conversion gain K BRi is a response of high-pass type, with a gain equal to (M BRi /L BRi )*Rc i , and a cut-off frequency equal to Rs BRi /(2 ⁇ L BRi ).
  • inductance L BRi although it is less dependent on temperature variations, however remains capable of drifting (particularly depending on the materials used, such as for example, the use or not of a ferromagnetic core). It may further be useful to accurately know this value in a phase of calibration of the electromagnetic system to constrain certain coefficients used by the calculation algorithm for determining the position and/or the orientation.
  • each coil emits back a parasitic magnetic field proportional to the induced current that it conducts, this parasitic field being itself captured by the other receiver coils.
  • this parasitic field being itself captured by the other receiver coils.
  • field B captured by receiver coil BR 3 will comprise not only the useful field which is desired to be measured, that is, the field emitted by coils BE 1 , BE 2 and BE 3 of emission device 101 , but also a parasitic field emitted back by receiver coil BR 1 , and a parasitic field emitted back by receiver coil BR 2 .
  • the useful field captured by each of coils BR i the parasitic fields emitted by the other receiver coils of assembly 113 have to be known.
  • the mutual inductance coefficient between the different receiver coils should be accurately known.
  • the parasitic field received by a receiver coil BR i from another receiver coil BR i+ is equal to
  • Ml i,i′ designates the coefficient of mutual inductance between coils BR i and BR i′ .
  • the values of the mutual inductance coefficients are little dependent on temperature variations, and fluctuate little on the short term. However, in the same way as for inductance values L BRi , it may be useful to know the mutual inductance coefficients in the electromagnetic calibration phase to constrain certain coefficients used by the calculation algorithm for determining the position and/or the orientation.
  • FIG. 3 schematically shows in the form of blocks an embodiment of an electromagnetic position tracking system.
  • the system of FIG. 3 comprises elements common with the system of FIG. 1 . These elements will not be detailed again. In the following description, only the differences between the system of FIG. 3 and the system of FIG. 1 will be detailed.
  • the system of FIG. 3 differs from the system of FIG. 1 in that it comprises, in addition to emission device 101 , reception device 111 and processing unit 121 , a system for measuring parameters of reception device 111 , the measurement system enabling to determine in situ, that is, during a phase of use of the locating system to follow the position of an object, the values of parameters Rs BRi and/or L BRi and/or Ml i,i′ of the assembly formed by receiver coils BR i and sense amplification stages 201 i associated with the receiver coils.
  • the parameter measurement system comprises a controllable device 331 for generating electric signals (voltages or currents) for exciting the receiver coils of assembly 113 .
  • Generator 331 is connected to at least one terminal of each of receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 .
  • Generator 331 is coupled to processing device 121 by a wire or wireless connection. Generator 331 is capable of transmitting to processing device 121 signals (for example, digital) representative of the excitation signals that it applies to the terminals of receiver coils BR 1 , BR 2 and BR 3 .
  • signals for example, digital
  • FIG. 4 shows in further detail a portion of the locating system of FIG. 3 .
  • read device 115 comprises, as in the example of FIG. 2 , associated with each of receiver coils BR i , an amplification device 201 i of transimpedance type, comprising an operational amplifier 203 i having its inverting input ( ⁇ ) coupled to its output by a feedback resistor Rc i and having its non-inverting input (+) coupled to a node of application of a reference potential GND, for example, the ground.
  • an amplification device 201 i of transimpedance type comprising an operational amplifier 203 i having its inverting input ( ⁇ ) coupled to its output by a feedback resistor Rc i and having its non-inverting input (+) coupled to a node of application of a reference potential GND, for example, the ground.
  • generator 331 comprises, associated with each of receiver coils BR i , a controllable current source 433 i connected to an end of coil BR i and capable of applying a voltage Vm i , referenced with respect to node GND, to this end of coil BR i .
  • the other end of coil BR i is connected to the inverting input ( ⁇ ) of operational amplifier 203 i .
  • a cable 205 i couples the two ends of coil BR i respectively to the inverting input ( ⁇ ) of operational amplifier 203 i and to the output of controllable voltage source 433 i .
  • coil BR i is not directly connected to the non-inverting input (+) of operational amplifier 203 i , but is coupled to the non-inverting input (+) via controllable current source 433 i and reference node GND.
  • the operation of the electromagnetic locating system of FIGS. 3 and 4 is identical or similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2 in that it concerns actual position tracking operations, with the difference that, in the system of FIGS. 3 and 4 , the series resistance Rs BRi associated with receiver coil BR i , that is, the series resistance of the circuit connected between the inverting input ( ⁇ ) and the non-inverting input (+) of operational amplifier 203 i , comprises not only the resistance of coil BR i and the resistance of cable 205 i , but further comprises series resistance R g of controllable current source 433 i .
  • generator 331 controls the application, via controllable voltage source 433 i , of a DC or sinusoidal voltage Vm i on the terminal of coil BR i connected to voltage source 433 i .
  • Vm i ( t ) V ref cos(2 ⁇ f i t )
  • V ref designates the amplitude of the sinusoidal voltage and f i designates the frequency thereof.
  • Voltage Vm i is amplified by transimpedance amplification stage 201 i , the amplified image of this voltage forming a component of output voltage V outi of amplification stage 201 i .
  • Frequency f i of voltage Vm i is preferably selected to be much smaller than the cut-off frequency of the coil (equal to Rs BRi /2 ⁇ L BRi ), so that the impedance of the inductance of coil BR i can be neglected as compared with the series resistance to be measured.
  • frequency f i is selected to be at least 20 times smaller than the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • frequency f i may be in the range from 1 to 20 Hz for a cut-off frequency of the coil substantially equal to 1 kHz.
  • Amplitude V ref of the sinusoidal voltage is selected to avoid saturating operational amplifier 203 i , that is, so that output voltage V outi of the amplification stage remains lower than the saturation output voltage of amplifier 203 i .
  • Processing device 121 comprises a synchronous detection unit (not shown in the drawing) capable of extracting peak value V outifi of the frequency component f i of signal V outi . Based on peak value V outifi , processing device 121 may determine the value of series resistance Rs BRi by the following formula:
  • generator 331 controls the application, via controllable voltage source 433 i , of a sinusoidal AC voltage Vm i on the terminal of coil BR i connected to voltage source 433 i .
  • frequency f i of voltage Vm i is selected to be close to or greater than the cut-off frequency of the coil (equal to Rs BRi /2 ⁇ L BRi ), so that the impedance of the inductance of coil BR i is non-negligible as compared with the series resistance of coil Rs BRi .
  • frequency f i is selected to be from 1 to 50 times the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • frequency f i may be in the range from 1 to 20 kHz for a cut-off frequency in the order of 1 kHz.
  • frequency f i is different from the emission frequency or frequencies of emission device 101 .
  • frequency f i is smaller than the lowest emission frequency of emission device 101 , or greater than the largest emission frequency of emission device 101 .
  • Amplitude V ref of voltage Vm i is selected to avoid saturating operational amplifier 203 i .
  • Voltage Vm i is amplified by transimpedance amplification stage 201 i .
  • the amplified image of voltage Vm i thus forms a component of frequency f i of output voltage V outi of amplification stage 201 i , expressed as follows:
  • V outifi ⁇ ( t ) V ref ⁇ cos ⁇ ( 2 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ f i ⁇ t ) ⁇ Rc i Rs BRi + L BRi ⁇ j ⁇ ⁇ ⁇
  • the detection unit of processing device 121 is capable of extracting peak value V outifi of frequency component f i of signal V outi , expressed as follows:
  • V outifi V ref 2 ⁇ Rc i Rs BRi 2 + L BRi 2 ⁇ ⁇ 2
  • processing device 121 may determine the value of inductance L BRi by the following formula:
  • generator 331 controls the application, via controllable voltage source 433 i , of a sinusoidal AC voltage Vm i on the terminal of coil BR i connected to voltage source 433 i .
  • frequency f i of voltage Vm i is selected to be close to or greater than the cut-off frequency of the coil, Rs BRi /2 ⁇ L BRi , so that the impedance of the inductance of coil BR i is non-negligible as compared with series resistance Rs BRi .
  • frequency f i is selected to be from 1 to 50 times the cut-off frequency of the coil.
  • frequency f i may be in the range from 1 to 20 kHz for a cut-off frequency of the coil in the order of 1 kHz.
  • frequency f i is preferably different from the emission frequency or frequencies of emission device 101 .
  • frequency f i is smaller than the lowest emission frequency of emission device 101 , or greater than the largest emission frequency of emission device 101 .
  • Amplitude V ref of voltage Vm i is selected to avoid saturating operational amplifier 203 i .
  • the voltage applied, via controllable current source 433 i′ , to the terminal of coil Bit i′ connected to voltage source 433 i′ , is for example zero.
  • this voltage comprises no component of frequency f i .
  • coil BR i emits an AC electromagnetic field of frequency f i .
  • This voltage is amplified by transimpedance amplification stage 201 i′ , which outputs a voltage V outi′ expressed as follows:
  • V outi ′ ⁇ ( t ) - j ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ Ml i , i ′ ⁇ i BRi ⁇ cos ⁇ ( 2 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ f i ⁇ t ) ⁇ Rc i ′ Rs BRi ′ + L BRi ′ ⁇ j ⁇ ⁇ ⁇
  • Processing device 121 is capable, based on the signals measured at the output of amplification stages 201 i to 201 i′ , of determining coefficient Ml i,i′ which can be expressed as follows:
  • the different mutual inductance coefficients of assembly 113 of receiver coils may be determined simultaneously by using different excitation frequencies f i .
  • the different mutual inductance coefficients may be determined sequentially by using a same excitation frequency f i .
  • the measurement of parameters Rs BRi , L BRi and/or Ml i,i′ may be performed during a calibration phase prior to a position tracking phase, and/or during the actual position tracking phase.
  • the measurements of parameters Rs BRi , L BRi and/or Ml i,i′ may be performed continuously in parallel with the measurements of the electromagnetic fields from the emission device, provided for the excitation frequency or frequencies applied by the parameter measurement system on the receiver coils to be different from the emission frequencies of the emission device.
  • parameters Rs BRi , L BRi and/or Ml i,i′ may be measured simultaneously as soon as the excitation frequencies used to measure them are different from one another.
  • generator 331 may comprise a digital frequency synthesizer (not shown) capable of generating one or a plurality of sinusoidal signals having controllable frequencies and, possibly, of adding these signals.
  • the controllable voltage source 433 i associated with each coil for example comprises a digital-to-analog converter (not shown) having its input coupled to a digital output of the frequency synthesizer, and having its output coupled to coil BR i .
  • a resistive voltage dividing bridge may be provided between the output of the digital-to-analog converter and the end of coil BR i connected to voltage source 433 i , to adjust the level of the excitation voltage applied to coil BR i .
  • An advantage of the locating system described in relation with FIGS. 3 and 4 is that it enables to measure possible drifts of certain parameters of the reception device. Knowing such drifts, it is in particular possible to correct the field values measured by the reception device, and thus to improve the locating accuracy of all the receiver coils with respect to know locating systems.
  • the described embodiments are not limited to the above-mentioned application to the locating of surgical tools, but may apply to other fields requiring accurately locating an object in a reference frame.
  • the described embodiments are not limited to the above-mentioned example of a locating system with three emitter coils and three receiver coils, but more generally apply to any electromagnetic locating system comprising at least one emitter coil and at least one receiver coil. It should be noted that in the case of a system with a single receiver coil, no measurement of the mutual inductance coefficient is necessary.
  • processing device 121 may be totally or partly implemented in the analog domain.
  • the operations of synchronous demodulation and of filtering and/or of synchronous detection may be implemented in the analog domain, and the operations of position calculation based on the measured field values may be implemented in the digital domain.
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FR1556827A FR3039284B1 (fr) 2015-07-20 2015-07-20 Systeme electromagnetique de suivi de position

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US20220183765A1 (en) * 2020-12-16 2022-06-16 Medtronic Navigation, Inc. Systems and methods for improved electromagnetic tracking

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FR3039284B1 (fr) 2017-08-25
US20170023381A1 (en) 2017-01-26

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